Humza Yousaf: Glaswegians have created great art and architecture, but also come together in time of need

HUMZA YOUSAF says the people of Glasgow make the city great, from granting Nelson Mandela the Freedom of the City, to rallying together after the Clutha tragedy.

by Humza Yousaf

13:48, 22 Oct 2014Updated13:50, 22 Oct 2014

A replica of the Duke of Wellington Statue is seen during the Opening Ceremony for the Glasgow 2014 Commonwealth Games - showing the city's sense of humour.

I HAVE had the pleasure of writing a column in Glasgow Now, The Glaswegian as many people still know it, since I became an MSP in 2011.

It is a quality newspaper printing local news that matters to the people, and I would like to pay tribute to all the journalists and staff who have worked hard over the years to produce the paper.

I will be continuing my column in the new digital format and wish Glasgow Now the best of luck in the digital world.

I know that this issue of Glasgow Now is looking at all the amazing things that are made in Glasgow. I would like to focus on what makes Glasgow – the people.

From this small corner of the world we’ve often been at the centre of world events, sometimes helping to shape the course of history.

One of the things that makes me proud of Glasgow is we were one of the first to grant Nelson Mandela the Freedom of the City in 1981, nine years before he was released from prison.

This ground-breaking decision – at a time when he was thought of by many, including the UK Government of the time, as a terrorist – showed Glasgow’s opposition to the racist apartheid regime in South Africa and solidarity with the people suffering under it.

Glasgow continues to campaign for equality and fight against persecution, and every year thousands of people come together to march against racism in the annual St Andrew’s Day march.

Our great city has also produced so much of Scotland’s great art and culture.

The work of Charles Rennie Mackintosh is famous across the globe and his work features on some of the world’s most iconic buildings. He still attracts thousands to Glasgow each year, including famous fans like Brad Pitt.

Glasgow’s high reputation for art continues to this day, as three out of the four artists on this year’s short-list for the prestigious Turner Prize are alumni of Glasgow School of Art.

In fact since 1996, six artists associated with Glasgow have won the Turner Prize and a further nine have been nominated.

We are a gallus city who can have a laugh at everything and everyone, including ourselves. How can we not when we’ve produced some of the biggest names in comedy, including Billy Connolly, Frankie Boyle and Kevin Bridges ?

We must not forget that Glasgow has a darker history. As the Second City of the Empire, Glasgow was the centre for tobacco imports into Britain and imported over half of all the American slave-grown tobacco.

Many merchants in Glasgow made fortunes from the tobacco and slave trade and reminders of this still exist today, with streets named after merchants such as John Glassford and Andrew Buchanan.

However, we are also a city that comes together when it is most needed. We should never shy away from this part of our city’s history but what is important is that we learn the lessons of those unpleasant days of our past.

One lesson we’ve learnt well is coming together after tragedy and supporting each other during our darkest hours.

After the attacks on Glasgow Airport, I was so proud of how the city came together. There was no blame laid at the doors of one community and the terrorists did not divide us.

After the Clutha tragedy, the city came together to raise thousands of pounds for the appeal fund, with contributions from so many individuals and businesses demonstrating the generosity and warmth of people in a time of great need.

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The whole city rallied to help, with volunteers from Glasgow Central Mosque offering help and shelter for those affected on the night.

So for all the things that make Glasgow great – the Bru, the art, the culture, the people and of course the Duke of Wellie statue with the cone on his heid – may we always make the world proud of this wonderful city and may Glasgow always flourish.